


...Tony?

by Lilipoussis



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Endgame, Fluff, Gen, Howard Stark parenting, Sort Of, Spoilers in here, Steve Feels, but nice, wholesome to make me feel better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 06:15:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18632476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilipoussis/pseuds/Lilipoussis
Summary: After Steve arrives home, he doesn't realise who he will have waiting for him.MAJOR SPOILERS FOR ENDGAME DONT READ IF YOU HAVENT SEEN IT YET.





	...Tony?

**Author's Note:**

> I just watched the movie for the second time and it just fucked me up worse eugggh. Written at 2am in a haze but hope it helps other people cope ahah

“I miss him man” Bruce said, and Steve felt it like a punch to the guts.

“I miss him too.”

* * *

 

Steve leaned closer into Peggy’s touch, his _wife’s_ touch. Revelling in the feeling of her arms around him, the world safe and protected. Guaranteed safe, and protected. By himself, by Bruce and Clint and Thor and Tash, god _Tash_. And always, always by Tony. Steve shuddered a little, the images of Tony, burnt out and finally resting flashing through his mind.

He knew it was the only way, god did he know, but the pain of it being Tony – after all they had been through together only worsened with time. Steve replayed their arguments, and their laughter in his mind daily – always in awe of the man, always missing the man.

“Hey…Howard has invited us over for dinner, he’s got something he wants to announce – probably some new car he wants to show off but it’d be good to see Maria” Peggy was quietly saying in his ear, knowing that he was far away and trying to use the everyday – the mundanity that Steve so adored to help anchor him in his past, his new present, his future.

Steve stiffened a little, seeing Howard was always a mixture of joy and pain, but nodded as he let his head rest on Peggy’s shoulder. “Love to” he muttered, tracing a pattern over her ring finger, allowing himself a small smile.

He loved this life, but he also loved the one he left behind. It was…balance.

* * *

 

Steve smiled genuinely as the door opened and he saw Howard beaming back at him, the man had an almost crazed aura about him as he ushered them inside, taking their coats himself and shooing Jarvis away with a laugh and a good natured shove. Peggy was looking at him as though he had grown an extra head, squeezing Steve’s hand tightly as they followed a buzzing Howard along the corridor towards the dinner table.

Steve looked down at her, laughing at the look of complete bemusement she shot back at him and squeezing her hand back, shrugging his shoulders in confused solidarity. As they came around the corner into the huge dining room, Steve almost fell over in surprise at the feast laid out already. The Stark’s were never low key people but this was worse than the banquet they’d thrown when Steve had first returned to this time.

There were five places set, two for Steve and Peggy, and two for the Starks – with Jarvis sitting at the final plate, fidgeting and looking entirely uncomfortable in the comfortable chair.

“Howard what on earth is going on?” Peggy demanded, looking around the room as though the world would shift beneath her feet and collapse if this strange dinner continued a second longer.

“We have news Peg! _News_!” Howard said, wringing his hands with what looked like nerves – completely uncharacteristic of the billionaire. “God where is she…Maria! Darling Steve and Peg are here!” Howard called, setting off down the hall at a little jog.

“Yes, yes Howard just calm down!” Maria answered, striding out from her bedroom with a look of fond frustration as she grabbed her husband’s hand and carted him back along the hall to the table.

“Maria, explain what has happened to Howard or I’m calling the police” Peggy said, standing her ground and looking for all the world like she would make good on that threat if it weren’t for the joking gleam in her eye, the tiny raise of her right eyebrow. She would fool most, but not the people in this room.

“We have news” Maria repeated, making Steve laugh and Peggy groan as they finally flopped into their seats, each staring their respective Stark down across the table to try and work out what the hell was going on.

“Out with it!” Peggy demanded, making Maria laugh her eyes agleam with delight at their total frustration.

“Come on just tell us” Steve found himself whining, the curiosity (and Peggy’s iron grip on his hand) finally getting to him.

“Shall you tell them or shall I?” Howard asked, abuzz. “You can darling I think you might explode otherwise” Maria responded, running a finger through his hair to smooth it down as it had grown wild with his exuberance.

“Ok…ok are you ready?”

“Howard out with it.” Peggy muttered, raising her hand threateningly and grinning as Howard dodged away.

“Ok, sorry, _sorry Peg_! Ok…ready?”

“HOWARD!”

“Maria’s pregnant!”

Steve’s breath stuttered, his heart squeezing painfully as he sat still as ice.

Beside him he could feel Peggy starting to stand, her eyes wild with excitement, turning to him as she rose to share her elation. She was moving in what felt like slow motion as he tried to force his body to move, force his heart to kickstart back into motion.

Tony.

God, _Tony_.

_Tony, Tony, Tony, Tony, Tony._

He had never really thought about it.

Had separated these two worlds in his mind.

Balance.

Past, future, past again.

A finished story.

And now…now a new chapter.

_Tony._

Beside him he could hear Peggy laughing out her congratulations to their friends, moving to get around the table to hug them both. To place a hand on Maria’s stomach where Tony was growing. The man who would save the world. The man to whom Steve owed everything.

Tony fucking Stark.

“That’s amazing!” He made himself say, a true smile spreading across his face as he got out of his chair to join them, to join Peggy and Howard and Maria. The newest family he had made, with an old friend – a new friend? About to join them.

“I can’t wait to meet him”


End file.
